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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. net — in sport
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. net — after costs
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. swing — in golf
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. board — to get on
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — in music
  13. cue — for pool
  14. board — a committee
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. net — for catching
  17. swing — music
  18. cue — a signal
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. wax — to grow
  23. bulb — for light
  24. cue — a hint

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com